Escape to Oakbrook Farm: A wonderfully uplifting romantic comedy (Hope Cove Book 2)

by Hannah Ellis

  “I saw his van in Newton Abbot as I was coming out of work.” Tara dropped her handbag and flopped onto the couch.

  “Well I hope you followed him,” Paul said mockingly.

  Tara sat up straighter. “He went in the chemist’s, so I went in after he’d left.”

  “Ooh. What did he buy?” Paul said, his voice dripping with false intrigue. “Please tell us before I die of suspense.”

  Tara swatted at his leg. “This is serious business!”

  “What did he buy?” Amber asked.

  “Ibuprofen. But Belinda told me she was chatting to him …”

  “Of course she was,” Paul said. “It’s Belinda. Going in that place is like being lined up for the Spanish inquisition. He should know better to go in the chemist’s at Newton Abbot.”

  Amber shushed him and looked at Tara. “Did Belinda know anything?”

  “Nothing,” Tara said dramatically. “Apparently he said he had no plans all weekend.”

  “Hmmm,” Amber said. “Why’s he lying?”

  “He obviously doesn’t want anyone to know what he’s doing,” Josie said. “Let’s just stop talking about it.”

  “He must have a date,” Paul said. “It’s the only explanation.”

  “Of course he’s not got a date,” Amber said. “If he had, it would be with Josie.”

  “He can do whatever he wants.” Josie stood abruptly. “I’m going home. This is crazy.” She couldn’t stand the suggestion that he was on a date with someone else. She was sure he wouldn’t be, but just the thought made her want to go and curl up in bed and never come out.

  “Wait here,” Paul said, moving past Josie to the door. “I’ll do some recon and see what I can find out.” He glared at Amber. “I can’t believe you’ve got me intrigued about this.”

  “Oh come on,” Josie said. “Let’s just drop the subject.”

  “I won’t be long,” Paul said, taking no notice of her.

  Amber made more coffee, and Tara complained about James and her morning at work. Josie was happy at the change of subject.

  They all looked to the door when Paul arrived back half an hour later. “He’s definitely got a date.”

  “No!” Amber said. “He can’t have.”

  Josie definitely wanted to go and hide away somewhere. Had she completely misread things between her and Sam? Surely not.

  “I just had a stroll through the village,” Paul said, “to make some casual enquiries. I went in the Bluebell to see if Andy knew anything, and Sam was in there having lunch.” The women leaned in, hanging off Paul’s every word. “So I got a pint and sat with him. Then casually asked about his plans for the weekend.”

  “And he said he had a date?” Tara asked.

  “No! He said he had nothing on. So I said it’s Saturday night, he should be out doing something fun. I may have made a remark about him not having a ball and chain or something …” He grimaced in Amber’s direction. “But it was only to get him talking.”

  “And did you get him talking?” Amber said.

  “He said he had a few things to do, but nothing exciting!” Paul looked outraged. “So he’s lying to me now too!”

  “So we don’t know he’s got a date?” Tara said.

  “He’s going on a date!” Paul said. “Otherwise he’d just say what he was doing. He wouldn’t tell me he’s got a date because he knows I’d tell Amber, Amber would tell Tara and everyone within a ten-mile radius would know within the hour!”

  Josie laughed then and they all stared at her. “You know how crazy you all sound? You need to get a life! And me too. If he doesn’t want to see me, he doesn’t have to. And I’m not about to start throwing myself at him and demanding to know what he’s doing all the time. You’re a bunch of gossips!”

  The three of them looked up at her like a group of naughty schoolkids. “I only wanted to talk to you about it because I thought you’d put my mind at ease and calm me down,” she continued. “You’ve done the opposite.”

  “Sorry,” they muttered. Kieron cried out, waking from his nap upstairs, and Paul jumped up to get him.

  “I’m going home,” Josie said calmly. “And I’m not going to worry about Sam. What will be, will be.”

  “Great attitude,” Tara said as Josie made for the door.

  “You’re right,” Amber said. “We should get a life!”

  “I’ll talk to you later,” Josie called over her shoulder.

  Her determination not to worry about Sam lasted about three minutes. She was walking home through the village when she remembered he’d been in the pub for lunch. It was too hard to resist a quick glance in the windows. There was no sign of him. His van was nowhere to be seen either. She ambled slowly home, hoping she might bump into him. When she got back to Oakbrook, Annette was in the kitchen, baking biscuits.

  “Have you got plans this evening?” she asked as Josie kicked her shoes off.

  “Nope.”

  “I thought you might be out with Sam …”

  “No,” Josie said. “He’s got plans.”

  “Oh, really? What’s he doing?”

  Josie smiled. “No one knows!” She sighed and pushed her feet back into her shoes. “I’m going to check on the dogs.” Rattling around the house wasn’t going to do her any good, and she didn’t want to get into speculation with Annette about what Sam was doing.

  Eventually she gave up on trying not to think about him. She was out walking the dogs and stopped by the stream in the valley, sitting on a rock and staring into space. It was so frustrating: she’d spent three weeks missing him and counting the hours until he got back, and now she didn’t even know when she’d see him next.

  When her bum went numb against the rock, she called to the dogs and had a minor panic when only Macy and Charlie came to her. She’d got another lovely Labrador with her who was placid and obedient, or so Josie thought. She breathed a sigh of relief when the dog wandered out from behind a bush. Slowly, they set off for home.

  She was settled on the couch watching TV that evening when Tara arrived, shouting hello as she let herself in.

  “Well this is a sorry sight for a Saturday night,” she said to Josie. “You and I need to have a proper night out sometime.” She bent to greet Annette with a kiss on the cheek, then plonked herself on the couch beside Josie. “I just drove past Sam’s house,” she said. “His van’s there and the lights are on.”

  “Right,” Josie said flatly. “Well done on the detective work. Why exactly are you stalking Sam, though?”

  “I’m not! I just don’t like him being so secretive.”

  “He might have a friend over,” Annette chimed in.

  “Why would he be secretive about that?” Tara asked. “I think he’s on a date.”

  “No!” Annette said. “He loves Josie. Why would he be on a date?”

  “We don’t know,” Tara said, sinking back into the couch.

  Josie let out an exasperated sigh. “Why don’t you just go and knock on his door and find out what he’s doing?”

  “I can’t do that,” Tara said. “He’s always telling us the village would be a better place if everyone minded their own business.”

  “Maybe he has a point,” Josie said.

  “Don’t be daft!” Tara grinned cheekily as she stood up. “I’ve got to get to my mum’s. We’re having a takeaway. I’ll leave you to it.”

  She was gone as quickly as she’d arrived, and Annette went back to her book. Josie tried very hard not to wonder what Sam was doing. It was five minutes later when Annette mumbled about not being able to hear the TV and reached for the remote.

  “Since when are you interested in the TV?” Josie asked as Annette began banging the remote on the arm of the chair. “I thought you were reading your book.”

  Annette ignored her and frowned at the remote. “This thing’s playing up again.”

  “Let me have a look,” Josie said, reaching out for it.

  “It used to do this a lot,” Annette
said, turning it over in her hand. “I need to take the back off and give things a wiggle around.”

  “Okay,” Josie said, dipping her eyebrows. “Give it to me and I’ll have a look.”

  “I know what to do,” Annette said forcefully. “I need a little screwdriver, that’s the only thing. We used to borrow a really tiny one from Sam. I don’t have one small enough.”

  Josie’s shoulders slouched and she raised her eyebrows at Annette. “Give me the remote!” she said firmly.

  “Could you just nip round and ask Sam if we can borrow the screwdriver?”

  “No!” Josie snapped. “I can’t. Now pass me the remote!”

  “Fine!” Annette said. She kept a firm hold of the remote and shuffled in her chair as though she might get up. “I’ll just go myself if you can’t do me one little favour. It would only take you five minutes to walk down and ask him for the screwdriver but if you can’t manage that—”

  “Oh, sit down!” Josie said. “I’ll go. But what if he really is on a date?”

  “Of course he’s not on a date! Just go and ask for the screwdriver. Tell him it’s for the TV remote. He knows the one.”

  Josie grumbled but reluctantly moved to the door. Walking quickly down the road, she was torn. If she was really honest, she was secretly pleased to have an excuse to go round to Sam’s place. But at the same time she had the distinct feeling she was about to completely embarrass herself.

  Chapter 27

  Sam was wearing a crisp blue shirt. She noticed his clean shave about the same time the scent of his aftershave hit her. He looked and smelled delicious.

  “I’ve been sent to borrow a screwdriver,” she said bluntly.

  “What kind?”

  “A small one for the TV remote. Annette said you’d know.”

  A smirk hit his lips and Josie felt self-conscious. He opened the door wider and she stepped inside.

  “It’s in the kitchen.”

  She followed him through and stood in the doorway, scanning the room as he rifled through a drawer. Then he turned, holding up a screwdriver. “Do you want to stay for a drink?”

  Her eyes flitted from him to the table. It was covered with a bright white cloth and two places were set, with a candle in the middle and a large bowl of salad to one side. “Are you expecting someone?”

  The dimple appeared in his cheek when he smirked. “I arranged a date a few weeks ago but I think she might have forgotten.” He raised an eyebrow. “Shame because she was really hot too.”

  Josie bit her lip. “Annette didn’t really need a screwdriver, did she?” He shook his head and crossed the room to her. She shoved him playfully. “You’re so mean!”

  “You’re hanging out with the village gossips too much!”

  “I’m not!” she insisted. “I asked you what you were doing tonight and you said you had plans.”

  “Plans I made with you three weeks ago! What else did you think I’d be doing?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Tara was even following me in and out of shops today. She’s not as stealth-like as she thinks.”

  “I didn’t tell her to!”

  “I know, they were like this well before you came along. Paul’s just as bad.”

  “He’s offended that you lied to him.”

  Sam grinned and moved to the fridge to pull out a bottle of wine. “So you’re staying for a drink?”

  Josie didn’t reply as her gaze landed on the neatly set table again.

  “Are you annoyed with me?” Concern wrinkled Sam’s features. “I thought you’d see the funny side. If I’m in trouble I’d like to point out that I bought you flowers …” He nodded to a bunch of red roses standing in an inch of water in the sink.

  She moved to touch a petal, then automatically bent to sniff at them. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

  He eased the cork from the wine bottle. “You’re annoyed, aren’t you?”

  “No.” A slow smile crept across her face. “It’s really lovely in here.”

  “Is it too much?” he asked.

  “No,” she said quickly. It wasn’t too much; it was just more than she was used to. Jack making an effort had generally been picking up his clothes from the floor and ordering a takeaway. “It’s all perfect.”

  “It’s my standard first date routine! Don’t expect this treatment too often.”

  “I’ll bear that in mind.”

  He put the wine bottle down when she went over and wrapped her arms around him. “What are you doing?”

  “I was thinking about kissing you.”

  He frowned and shook his head. “You have to wait until the end of the evening, I’m afraid. It’s a first date rule.”

  “Maybe you could bend the rules,” she said, her lips grazing his.

  “Maybe I could,” he whispered.

  His breath was fresh and minty, and she loved the feel of his soft lips on hers. Their kisses became more fervent and Sam groaned as Josie pushed her body closer to his and gently bit his lower lip.

  “Do you know why kissing is generally saved for the end of the date?” he asked, pulling away.

  She flashed a cheeky smile. “So you don’t forget to eat dinner?”

  “Exactly.”

  He didn’t move away, though, but kept his arms firmly around her and gazed at her longingly.

  She trailed a hand down his torso until it landed at his belt. “Any chance dinner can wait?”

  A smile spread over his face. His lips found hers again. A moment later he tugged her T-shirt over her head.

  “Dinner can definitely wait.”

  Chapter 28

  That first date set the tone for the next two weeks. Life became a whirlwind filled with laughter and whispering and love-making. They spent every spare moment together, and Josie was as happy as she’d ever been.

  When Sam mentioned doing a car boot sale one Sunday, Josie invited herself along. Her phone rang as Sam arrived to pick her up. Seeing it was Jack, she shoved the phone back in her pocket, feeling slightly guilty. He’d tried to call her a few times over the last few days, but he had a knack for calling at a bad time. She’d definitely call him back soon.

  “Dinner will be ready at five,” Annette called as Josie hurried out the door. They’d already had this conversation. Lizzie and Max were coming over and Annette had told Josie to invite Sam too.

  “I know,” she called over her shoulder. “See you later.”

  “Have fun!”

  Sam greeted her with a kiss when she climbed into his van. “Ready for your first car boot sale?”

  “I’m so excited.”

  “Don’t be,” he said, as they set off. “It’s pretty boring.”

  “I don’t believe you! By the way, Annette’s cooking. We’re supposed to be back by five for dinner. Lizzie and Max are coming over.”

  “I know. Max called me. Seems like they wanted to make sure they got us all together …”

  “What’s that look for?” she asked as he smirked.

  “I just think there might be some sort of announcement, that’s all.”

  “She’s not pregnant!” Josie insisted, yet again. She looked out of the window as they drove through the village. “Lizzie would have told me already.”

  “People wait until they’ve had scans and stuff.”

  She shook her head. “I’m telling you I’d know about it.”

  “We’ll see!”

  ***

  It was only a twenty-minute drive to Exeter racecourse, and Josie was surprised at the number of cars and vans as they pulled into a spot beside the racetrack. There were rows and rows of vehicles and people unloading various items.

  “It’s not boring at all,” she said to Sam. “It’s exciting!”

  “I promise you’ll be bored after sitting here for three hours.”

  “I bet I won’t.” Her eyes were fixed out the window, taking in the bustle. “I didn’t expect it to be so busy. This place is huge.”

  “There
should be a good crowd since the weather’s so nice. Hopefully I can get rid of everything. I hate taking stuff home again.”

  “I’m excited about bartering,” Josie said, hopping out of the van. It was a glorious day with a bright blue sky and warmth in the air.

  “I hate it,” Sam said, walking round and heaving the side door of the van open. “I’m usually thinking about the effort of reloading the van with anything that doesn’t sell, so I mostly just take whatever people offer.”

  “That’s not very good business.”

  He dragged a cardboard box out of the van and placed it on the ground before beginning to unload the furniture.

  “I told you – it’s a hobby not a business.”

  Josie opened the box and peered in. “Wow! Where did you get this stuff from?”

  “People give me things,” he said, setting Brendan’s old table carefully down. “Everyone in the village knows I do car boot sales. Any time anyone has a clear out, they give me their junk!”

  “This isn’t junk.” She held up a beautifully ornate teapot. “It’s treasure! I’m tempted to keep it.”

  Sam chuckled and climbed into the back of the van. He passed things out to Josie, who thoroughly enjoyed setting everything up. “It’s like playing shop.”

  “Yep.” He jumped down from the van. “You made it look a bit more organised than when I do it.”

  “How much do you want for Brendan’s table?” she asked, running a hand across the smooth surface. It was a good-sized sturdy table in perfect condition.

  “I gave him twenty quid for it so if I get thirty I’ll be happy.”

  “I’m sure you can get at least fifty.”

  “I think you might be slightly optimistic. Everyone here is after a bargain. They really like to haggle. I’ll be surprised if I get thirty.”

  Josie glanced at a couple opposite, unloading their car. “Ooh, I like that vase,” she said to no one in particular. She migrated over for a closer look and then strayed to the other sellers nearby to have a look what was on offer.